Stranger Danger in Koreatown

This afternoon, I was made aware of a series of four attacks that have occurred to women in apartment buildings throughout Koreatown. Eek!

The first attack was in early November, with the most recent one occurring on December 30th. The assailant robbed all his victims, and sexually assaulted one of them.

Image from a surveillance video of the most recent Koreatown assault

Today the LAPD released a clip from a surveillance video of the most recent assault. You see the attacker follow the woman into the elevator, punching and kicking the victim, knocking her down and dragging her as she holds on to the purse.

Two of the attacks took place on the 300 block of Alexandria. The others took place on the 500 block of Hobart and the 400 block of Westmoreland. All four of the victims have been Korean women.

The attacker is a Hispanic male believed to be in his 20s, between 5’6″ and 5’8″, and weighs approximately 130-170 pounds.

Yikes! This is all so scary. I’ve always felt safe in my neighborhood, but it’s hard not to be on high alert when these attacks have occurred just blocks from where I live. In times like these, I’m grateful that I’ve established relationships with neighbors and local business owners. It makes me feel better to know I am part of a community that looks out for one another.

It’s a good time for all of us to reevaluate our safety practices while walking around. Be aware of your surroundings, which means take out the ear buds. Carry pepper spray, a blackjack, or other self defense tool. Make sure front doors and gates lock behind you, and nobody follows you inside.